Double crossing crossers
by BlackPotter
Summary: There is more than one spy, just who? Harry finds true love, and learns to harness it to fight his enemies. Harry unravels mysteries abound!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:  Double-crossers.**

Harry Potter awoke suddenly, with a start.  He started and glanced quickly around his bedroom, to check no-one or no creature was actually present.  He did this because he, Harry Potter was an unusual boy, unusual in many ways.  Firstly he disliked his eight week long summer holidays and longed to be back at school.  This was another reason Harry was an odd boy, because he attended Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry.  Here, strange and mysterious happenings took place and accidents normally happened to Harry.

Once Harry was satisfied everything was safe, he rested his head back onto his pillow where his feelings of glum started to set in.  At least in his sleep, he didn't have to feel these disillusioning emotions, it was like an escape, a release, and it didn't help him being back with the Dursley's, his foul, disturbed relations he only stayed with in the summer for protection against the most evil, dark wizard Voldemort.  Everyone in the wizarding world feared to speak his name, and it was only in the past few months that people were starting to come to terms with his ever-determined hope of rise to power, and the fact he had never actually died as most had believed.  Voldemort was rising once more, and wanted to be the most powerful wizard off all.  But not if he, Harry, could help it.

The main reason for Harry's gloomy mood was due to the death of his godfather a month previously.  Harry kept blaming himself for his death.  However, he was coming to terms with the fact that had he known differently about the prophecy, he may have acted differently.  He had honoured his godfather by naming the order 'Snuffles', the nickname which he and his friends used when talking about Sirius between each other and in letters, so if they were ever intercepted, Sirius would never be found out.  As Voldemort was on the rise, this was a good idea too keep the knowledge of the order from the dark side.  Therefore by naming it snuffles, no-one from the dark side could possibly find out about the order of phoenix existing to fight against the dark order, as long as there were no traitors during this attempt of Voldemort's rise to power.  During the last rise of the dark era, there were double-crossers double-crossing both sides.

Harry had every right not to trust every-one, as it had taken a full year before anyone believed himself or Dumbledore that Voldemort was back and looking to regain the power he once had.  And one person he trusted very little was a person he disliked very much indeed, and that person who felt just as much hatred for Harry Potter was none other than one hooked-nosed, greasy-haired, sallow-skinned Professor Slimy Snape.  Harry had on numerous previous occasions thought Snape was a traitorous dark wizard, however these were all proved otherwise.  As each day went by his feelings intensified and his mind made certain.  

Someone was working on dark side and spying on the good, passing any new information that he could to Voldemort.  His feelings were somehow different this time, and from his dreams and throbbing of his scar and rude awakenings in the night, Harry for some reason had awoken and suspected this double-crosser to be Snape.  He couldn't pin-point the exact time or date when his suspicions had started, all he knew was one thing, there is a new double-crosser working for Voldemort and Harry himself had every intention of finding out who this person was and bringing him down and seeing that justice was sought.  

One thing Harry was sure of this time, he was going to use the help of the order and Dumbledore to make sure there were no more dark times.  Ever!  He was certain now, more than he had ever been that there was as many good people as there were evil.  His trust in his friends had been earned over the past five years', however it was the previous twelve months support he had got from his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger that had made Harry's mind up.  Although sad about the past, he tried to think of the future and how many lives could still be saved, all of whom could live on and teach the future generations and may the memory of those lives lost live on through us.

_o0o_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:  More surprises than one.**

Harry suddenly gave a smirk and smiled to himself.  For what made him smile was a thought of revenge on his killer whale sized cousin Dudley Dursley.  Dudley was known as the 'Big D' amongst his toe-rag friends that tailed him everywhere, but he simpered at his mothers weedy nicknames of  'sweetums' and 'dinky duddydums'.  But whatever was dinky about Dudley, we'll never know.  Harry thought blissfully about the fun he could have tormenting ickle duddykins in front of his rat-like friends Piers Polkiss, Dennis, Malcolm and Gordon.

Harry was brought back to earth with a bump upon hearing a loud rapping at the window.  For a moment this seemed strange as his bedroom was on the second floor of the house and why would anyone knock on his window by way of greeting and coming to meet him.  Well, that is answered by the fact again, Harry was an unusual boy and his acquaintances were all as strange if not stranger than him.  Prime examples were Professor Dumbledore himself, Hagrid the gamekeeper, and his new auror friends Mad-eye Moody and Tonks.  However none of these people were knocking at the window, it was his beloved snowy owl "Hedwig" cried Harry as he leapt to his feet to pull open his window to let her in.  She sat on her cage whilst Harry quickly removed the letter tied to her foot.  She gave a small hoot of thanks then flew down to drink some water and take a nap.

Harry turned the letter over and found it to be from his best friend Ron, he could tell by the almost illegible writing.  Ripping off the envelope and sitting back on his bed he began to read: 

_Dear Harry_

_Hope you are well and the muggles are treating you ok.  There is no need to worry though as mum and dad have been in constant contact with Dumbledore and have finally persuaded him to let you come over to our house to stay.  We will be coming to collect you on July 31st at __12 noon__, __midday__.  You can then stay at the Burrow for the remainder of the holidays and come with us to the station to catch the train back to school.  Have everything ready so we don't have to suffer those dreadful muggles for long either.  _

_Hermione is coming over on the 1st August with her parents who will be staying for dinner and the night, before travelling home the next day.  Apparently they have to travel a long way by muggle car, all the way from Nantwich, a little village in the heart of __England__.  Apparently.  Dad is beside himself with excitement._

_From Ron._

"Wow" said Harry aloud.  This was the one thing he had been waiting for in the short holiday that had already passed.  It was the first time he had felt truly happy since arriving back off the train from Hogwarts.  His friends hadn't forgotten him, as they never forgot him and they has tried desperately and succeeded to get the one thing Harry wanted most, to leave the Dursley's.  And the thing which topped it off best was the fact he was leaving on his birthday, the best present he could ever receive was this wonderful news.  Looking across the room at the old bashed clock of Dudley's he had repaired, it read 8:30am.  

Feeling as though nothing could deflate him at this point in time, Harry got up and dressed hastily in Dudley's oversized clothes, baggy jeans and a t-shirt as it was a beautifully bright day outside.  He hopped down the stairs two at a time and bounded into the kitchen and sat at his usual place at the table, grabbing a piece of toast from the rack and munching it straight away.  Now he came to think of it, he was ravenous.  "Must be all the hormones kicking into action" he thought. 

Harry received his usual morning greeting of "Comb your hair" being barked at him by Uncle Vernon, who was looking at him over his daily paper and scowling.  "And what are you so happy about, heard  from those bloody wei-w-friends have you?" Harry smirking, assumed Uncle Vernon was referring to the order who were waiting for him on the platform to wish him all the best for the summer.  His uncle had a rather nasty encounter with them, as he usually did with anyone or anything to do with magic, and the memory was still painfully sore, both to his memory and his overlarge backside.  

Harry got up, turned to leave and shouted over his shoulders "Nope, I've just had the best news ever.  My friend Ron Weasley and his family are coming to pick me on my birthday.  I'm going to stay at their house for the remainder of the holidays before going back to Hogwarts".  Harry didn't care anymore, he wasn't ashamed and he was done if he couldn't even say what his school and second home was called.

"W-WHAT did you say, boy?" roared Uncle Vernon from the kitchen, jumping to his feet.  Harry knew this from the crashing and splintering of the fragile chair against Aunt Petunia's perfectly polished floor.  More noticeable was the minor earthquake which just happened to shake the house.  Harry thought it would probably register a number 6 on the Richter scale.  

Harry stopped and hollered back "MY BIRTHDAY, THE 31ST JULY, BUT OF COURSE YOU WOULDN'T KNOW BECAUSE YOU'VE NEVER EVEN CARED.  I'M GOING TO MY FRIENDS HOUSE AND NOT COMING BACK HERE FOR ANOTHER WHOLE DAMN YEAR".

Harry had reached the front door and was turning the lock when a huge shadow fell across the hallway.  "And where do you think you're going laddie?"  Uncle Vernon bellowed, his face the colour of a deep purple puce.  

"Out" shouted Harry, "So don't think you can stop me doing anything anymore" pointing his wand right between Vernon's eyes.  

"Fine then, don't come back till sunset" called Vernon's gruff voice maliciously as Harry was half-way out of the door.  

"Don't worry, I don't intend to be" shouted Harry angrily back, taking his rage out on the door and slamming it shut behind him.

He was just about to curse and swear everything he knew when he turned and stopped dead.  From the bush in front of him directly outside the front door, was a pair of great big, huge green eyes staring directly back into his.

_o0o_


	3. chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Dumbledore's surprise.**

"Dobby!" exclaimed a shocked Harry, "What in Merlin's name are you doing here?"  Harry's attitude suddenly changed quickly to a worried, cautious and defensive character.  "You're not trying to stop me going back to Hogwarts are you?"

Dobby looked terrified, like a small child just being caught doing something he 

shouldn't be.  "Mm-m, Hm.  No Harry Potter sir, no" mumbled Dobby fearfully.

"Now you know just to call me Harry, Dobby.  Come then, out with it, what are you doing in my family's front garden?"

"Dobby was watching Harry Potter sir, I've been given orders to keep an eye on Harry Potter during the holidays.  I've just been watching over you at night, protecting you when your defences would have been low, but disappearing when you awoke and could look after yourself".

"So that's why I've been feeling a strange presence whenever I first wake up every morning, because it was you".  It suddenly dawned on Harry why he was so uptight, and jumpy in the morning, starting to think it was him just getting paranoid.  "How come you've been watching over me in my sleep, who's sent you and, hang on, if you were only watching me in my sleep, what on earth are you doing here right now, in the middle of the morning, hidden in my Uncles hedge?"

"Well Dobby, Harry Potter sir…"

"Just Harry will be fine, and come out of the bush, I can't stand around here all day looking as though I'm just talking to the hedge, lets go for a walk to the park and talk.  Besides, I want to get away from here anyway.  I'm not coming back until sunset in any case" Harry cursed, and taking one look at Dobby said "yes you can keep me company until then.  In fact, you can stay with me until the Weasley's come to pick me up on my birthday if your explanation is good enough and if you are allowed.  Besides, I could do with the company".  Dobby looked at though he'd won a trip to the moon, Harry mused, taking one look at Dobby's awestricken face, thinking to himself that Dobby's explanation would most likely be out of this world now that he had the promise of Harry Potter's company for the next two weeks.

So off they went to the local park, Harry trying with all his might, to stop Dobby's squeals and sobs of excitement.  Harry didn't exactly want any attention brought towards them as Dobby for was one a house-elf, and secondly, Dobby being the size of a child, Harry didn't want to look as though he was mistreating Dobby with all the high pitched noises coming from him.

*

Sat as comfortably as possibly could be in a small wood of trees well hidden from muggle view, Harry finally turned to Dobby and said, "Well then, what is it you have to tell me Dobby?"

Harry sat for nearly half an hour as Dobby filled him in on the latest events of the wizarding world.  Apparently, Dumbledore had called Dobby into his office the morning Harry and the rest of his fellow students had left Hogwarts on the train back to platform nine and three-quarters, to be at their homes for the summer.  Dumbledore wanted someone inconspicuous and well hidden to keep an eye on Harry Potter.  Someone who's magic would not be detected by any charms around Hogwarts, especially after all those detection and tracing charms that awful witch Umbridge had set.  Harry refused to call her Professor, as she never really was a professor, and she was only sent from the ministry to take over the school and to not teach properly, which defeats the purpose of being a professor.  Dumbledore had wanted someone just to check on Harry in the time of greatest emergency so if anything happened and Harry was unable to get help, Dobby was there to do so on his behalf.

"Ok, that's reasonable I suppose" said Harry, as he was the only one able to defeat Voldemort.  To make the world liveable again relied mainly on Harry.  He and Dumbledore were the only ones who knew about the prophecy.  "But why send you Dobby?"

"B-Because I can use my elf magic and travel undetected and unbeknown to anyone else.  Therefore any dark wizards or spies would not be able to trace what I was doing, so we still have the upper hand above you-know-who you see?"

"Ok, that's a good idea too" said Harry, "but why did Dumbledore just ask you to watch me every night, why not use different house-elves each night instead of burdening you all the time?"

"Because Professor Dumbledore wanted someone he trusted enough not to let slip to the dark side, someone with so much care for Harry Potter that he thought of him as a master, therefore the bonds could not be broken between them and the house-elf would not betray him".

"What bonds Dobby?"

"Well" said Dobby proudly "When you freed me by presenting me with clothes, a new bond was made between me and you, as a house-elf must always have a caring bond with someone.  When this bond is gone, 'tis time for a house-elf to go.  And professor Dumbledore said the less people involved the better as it would be less complicated and there was less chance of you-know-who finding out this way".  So obvious now Harry came to think of it.  

This made sense to Harry too.  Dobby would do anything to protect Harry, and would even probably die trying.  "Ok, I understand that too, but why have you come to look over me in the day too as well all of a sudden.  I mean, if you watch me sleeping, then why are you here in the middle of the day when I'm wide awake?" asked Harry thoughtfully.

"Well master Harry sir, the news is out we've taken a turn for the worse and you-know-who may have one up against us" mourned Dobby, shaking his head sadly.

"Why, what is it Dobby? Tell me quickly.  Is Ron, Hermione or Ginny hurt what's wrong?"  Harry stopped in his tracks momentarily.  Why had he just said Ginny's name.  At the moment he didn't care, Ginny was Ron's younger only sister, so if anything happened to her, then it would upset Ron and his family that had taken him in so kindly.

"No, no, nothing of that sort Harry.  Just Dumbledore has been suspecting vol-you-know-who has got lots of enemies against us, and he believes he has managed to get one of us to spy on our side, passing on information like in the old days back to him".

Harry's jaw dropped a mile.  For a moment there, he was speechless.  "W-what are you saying Dobby? Someone on our side is pretending to be good and getting any and all information he can and is giving it to the dark lord?"

*

Dobby nodded still sad, and curled up to the bottom of Harry's leg.  They sat there until past sunset, dusk and until night had fallen.  Harry had been thinking hard, wishing for a pensieve to sieve his thoughts into.  His head had been buzzing, well, all day really.  Did Ron and Hermione know?  He so longed to speak to them at this point in time, but he did not know of a reliable enough postage system to let them know.  A small squeak brought Harry back to the real world.  "Dobby had just one more piece of information Harry Potter".

"What is it?" asked Harry dubiously.  

"Well, a house-elf dies for two reasons, one, they have lost caring for their master so the bond breaks between them, and without a bond, the house-elf dies.  The only other way a house-elf can die is if they choose to divulge secrets of their family when they still have a bond with that family.  Because they tell the secrets, they is no longer secrets and it is this which kills them".

"Gob-smacked, Harry spluttered "why are you telling me this Dobby? Any why are you still alive after telling us what you heard from Malfoy manor?"

"Well, Dobby still lives because he no longer shared his bond with the Malfoy family when he shed the family secrets, therefore it did not affect me.  I had formed new bond, with you Harry Potter". Dobby bowed obligingly to his new master, "And I tell you this because when I was discussing you with Professor Dumbledore yesterday evening, one of my friends came into his office and was about to tell us something important…"

"Don't tell me" said Harry, "the house elf died?"  As Dobby nodded solemnly Harry carried on "And would that house-elf go by the name of Winky?"  Dobby continued to nod.

_o0o_


	4. chapter 4

**Chapter 4: To the Burrow at last.**

Harry sat in shock for another long while before saying "Come Dobby, we best make our way back to the house".  And they got up and slowly began to wander back to the Dursley's in the dark.  

Back in Harry's bedroom, Harry was in his pyjamas in bed and Dobby in an old basket Harry had layered with blankets.  Though Harry thought it would be really uncomfortable and glad he was not sleeping on the floor, Dobby looked thoroughly pleased with himself that he had obviously got the best deal of all, sleeping near to his master Harry Potter.

"So" started Harry suddenly, coming abruptly out of his reverie "why was it the Winky died, did you manage to find out what she was trying to tell you before she died?"  Sadly, Dobby shook his head, though Harry was not in the least surprised, as usual, to find their upper-hand against Voldemort thwarted once again.  Why would he have any reason to think they'd find any information 'for' his and Dumbledore's good side?  "But" said Dobby nervously, "Professor Dumbledore does suspect Winky may be coming to some sense and may have been wanting Dumbledore to be her new master.  And by telling him the secret she thought it would make him her new master with fresh bonds".

"But she never got so far as to tell him though did she?" snapped Harry.  "Hang on though, are you trying to say, Dumbledore is trying to guess and may suspect what Winky may have been trying to tell him?"

"Yes Harry".

"So tell me quickly Dobby, what does he suspect?"

"Well, professor Dumbledore sir suspects she was about to tell us who the traitor may have been".

"Ha, thought as much" said Harry triumphantly "And who does he suspect may be crossing over to Voldemort's side?" daring to believe what he was hearing, unable to hope as he had never hoped before.

"Well, Professor Dumbledore sirs, has an inkling, as he says he sometime does, that the perpetrator may be the one and only Professor…

"Snape" cried Harry and Dobby in unison.  

Although Harry was surprised, he wasn't in other ways.  

So now Harry had even more to think about and worry.  What did Snape think he was playing at eh?  All kinds of hair-brained questions like these kept buzzing around Harry's mind like an electrically charged broomstick.

*

Over the next two weeks, Harry's mind went wild trying to form plans and schemes against Snape, the slithering slimy git.  If only Sirius had known, he would have laughed with glee at how slimy he really was, and probably finished him off for good too whilst he was at it.

On other terms, living with the Dursley's was more bearable as Harry was getting used to having Dobby around.  However, the Dursley's were going spare with a blatant magical creature under their very noses, living in their house, plus the fact they couldn't do anything about it or Harry would set Moody on them, and not a painful reminder of magic they wanted off this guy in a hurry.

Finally it was the day of Harry's 16th birthday.  He was up, bright and breezy with Dobby and already packed when he went down for breakfast.  "And how exactly are those absurd people arriving today?" snapped Uncle Vernon as soon as Harry stepped into the kitchen.  "Dunno, but something spectacular knowing them" replied Harry calmly, as he turned round to grin at his uncle with a piece of toast in his hand before taking a big bite.

 As it turned out, Harry spent all morning in his bedroom away from the Dursley's, preferring to leave them stew at their own misfortune.   He was musing again, as he usually did, about a new certain person by the name of Ginny.  Ron would certainly be pleased to hear of such a suitably fitted partner.  He Harry on the other hand, thought she may come in useful at some point in the future in his plans to defeat Voldemort, as it was all down to himself to finish him off once and for all.  Harry also suspected, on reflection of the past year, his best friends had secretly gotten together whilst Harry had other troubles.  He was not concerned by this fact, however, it gave him a good excuse for laughter and torment of his two best friends, to his delight.

It was only when he was disturbed from his reverie by a loud hacking cough, that he was aware someone else was  present in the room.  On looking round to the source, he found not only one person in his room, but three ginger-haired people: Mr Weasley, Fred and George, and Dobby all waiting for him, arms crossed.

"Hi Harry" whispered Mr Weasley "How are you?" 

"Fine" replied Harry, "But why are we whispering?"

"Good to see you Harry" butted in Fred and George quickly before Mr Weasley could get in another word.  "We've come to Whisk you away without the Dursley's knowing.  Dads spied on them stewing downstairs.  We thought it'd be a good joke for them to carry on doing so until they realised you'd just disappeared without them knowing" said Fred.

"Keep you voice down Fred" said Mr Weasley.  "Anyway Harry, as you are too young to apparate, that's why only us three are here.  Molly has stayed home to look after Ron and Ginny".

The twins sniggered heartily "I think Ginny can look after herself, after this summer" murmured George.  Harry was keen to hear what she'd been up to, but one wink from Fred and he knew to keep his silence till later.

"Anyway, My Weasley" said Harry wonderingly, "How am I going to get back as I cannot apparate either".

"Aha, this is the good part" said a grinning Mr Weasley.  "We three shall apparate with all your belongings back to the burrow and Dobby has kindly nominated himself to act as a portkey to transport you personally himself back to the burrow.  That's a tricky bit of magic, but with Dumbledore's help, it has been managed for Dobby to be able to transport you with his elf-magic, unnoticed on this one off occasion.  Right then Harry, take Dobby's left hand, it's nearly 12.30.  Once you have gone, the boys and I will follow with all your stuff and leave the Dursley's to stew".

With one last grin at each other the seconds ticked down, three-two-one and Harry immediately felt a tug behind his navel and was whisked by portkey Dobby to 'The Burrow'.

_oOo_


End file.
